About 500 community members, faculty, students and staff participated in a Labor Day march and rally Monday afternoon to honor workers and advocate for immigration reform and equal health care protection for all Brown Dining Services workers.
Participants marched from two locations - down Thayer Street from the Verney-Woolley Dining Hall and up College Hill from the corner of Weybosset and Westminster streets - before convening on the Main Green for a rally. The Providence Police Department blocked off Thayer and College streets.
Marchers held signs echoing the rally's overarching message, "Reward Hard Work" and "Share the Prosperity." They also chanted slogans such as "No one should be working poor."
The rally was organized by Service Employees International Union Local 615, which represents Dining Services, the Immigrants in Action Committee and Rhode Island Jobs with Justice.
Among those participating in the march were several elected officials, including Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Charles Fogarty '87, Attorney General Patrick Lynch, members of the Providence City Council, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Sheldon Whitehouse and Guillaume de Ramel, Democratic candidate for Rhode Island secretary of state.
Seth Yurdin, a Democratic candidate for the Ward 1 City Council seat who has been endorsed by the SEIU, was among the marchers. Yurdin's opponent, Ethan Ris '05, told The Herald that though his schedule did not allow him to attend, he supports the goals of Dining Services employees.
"It's great to be here supporting basic rights," de Ramel told The Herald. "This is a great show of unity, certainly on Labor Day, showing that the labor movement is still strong."
With the current Dining Services contract expiring on Oct. 12, the rally highlighted the union's main talking point for the upcoming negotiations with the University: reforming the current health care policy to provide equal protection for all workers. Union representatives declined to comment on more specific demands, adding that all points will be made clear when negotiations begin this month.
The current University health care policy provides full protection for employees who work 40 hours a week, while "assistant food service" employees who work 30 hours a week pay 50 percent of the premium and those who work 27 hours a week pay 100 percent, a union representative said.
"Over one-third of (Dining Services) workers face the situation where they have to decide between putting food on the table and going to the doctor," said Sarah Adler-Milstein '07.5, an SEIU volunteer. "If Brown can raise $1.4 billion to improve the University, it can afford to provide health care to all of its employees."
The rally program began with a chant led by Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615 - "What do we want?" "Justice!" "When do we want it?" "Now!" Following Saenz's impassioned opening remarks, Friar Raymond Tetrault of the Saint Teresa de Avila Parish gave a blessing honoring workers and called for progress toward a more equitable society.
Christina Smith, a first baker for Dining Services, welcomed all of the marchers and thanked Dining Services employees for their hard work. Fany Santana, an assistant Dining Services worker for the past eight years, then gave testimony in Spanish, detailing her trouble in paying $280 - which is half of the premium - each month in health care costs while making $250 weekly salary for 30 hours of work. Santana said she must pay the fee in order to get care for a heart condition.
"Today is a big day for all the workers and we want on this day to ask Brown to recognize our work and lower the health care premium for all workers," Santana told The Herald. "This has to stop. The worker that works for 20 hours a week has almost no guaranteed rights. We need equality for everyone."
Following her testimony, Juan Garcia of the Immigrants in Action Committee led the rally participants in Spanish chants calling for immigration reform. Specifically, Garcia called for a moratorium on deportations until Congress passes fair legislation regarding the treatment of illegal immigrants.
Karen McAninch, a representative of United Service of Allied Workers, advocated for more equitable treatment of facilities workers at Brown's libraries and at the Providence Public Library. Joseph Faial, catering coordinator for Dining Services, acknowledged the many people involved in organizing the rally and furthering the cause.
Saenz concluded the program by demanding an end to inequality. "Everyone who works and lives in Providence should be rewarded," she said. "When we talk about economic development in Providence, we want it to include all workers. We want one Providence that is better for all. Not two, not three, but one."
